Photo courtesy of Sky Sports
Anthony “Million Dollar” Crolla (29-4-2, 11 KOs) will be bidding to become a world champion for the first time when he faces Darleys Perez (32-1, 20 KOs) for the WBA Lightweight belt, just seven months after suffering a fractured skull and a broken ankle in an act of heroism.
It would be a fitting story for the amicable Mancunian, who was ruled out of his world title shot in January with Richar Abril after battling two intruders that had targeted his neighbors house, and was consequently struck with a concrete slab.
He faces a considerable test in Perez who’s narrow points defeat to the highly touted Yoriorkis Gamboa the only scar on his record.
A raucous crowd at the Manchester Arena will be right behind the hometown fighter, and as cliche as it sounds, could be the telling factor in the bout.
A victory for Crolla would secure Manchester’s second newly crowned world Lightweight champion in a week, after Terry Flanangan clinched the WBO version beating Jose Zepada, which would set up a potential, mouthwatering unification fight.
But with his last outing just a six rounder against journeyman Gyorgy Mizsei Jr. in November of last year, Crolla finds himself thrown in at the deep end. The whole nation will behind him, hoping and willing him on to pen that fairytale ending that he so rightly deserves.
It’s Crolla’s stablemate, Scott Quigg (30-0-2, 22 KOs), who’s acting as the co-feature bout taking on the tenacious Kiko Martinez (32-5, 24 KOs), to defend his portion of the WBA Super Bantamweight title held outrightly by Guillermo Rigondeaux, in what will be the Bury fighters sternest test to date.
The Spaniard is no stranger to British shores, losing to Carl Frampton twice, and will be determined to reverse his fortunes in an attempt to become a two-time world champion.
Quigg’s discipline, ability and what many boxers slate as an incomparable work ethic in training, should see him through a tough encounter, with Martinez already admitting that his technique is “close to perfection.”
But it will be the initiative of “La Sensacion” to drag the undefeated Brit into a grueling affair, and to test the heart of the 26-year-old who many fans still regard as a paper champion. It will certainly act as a comparison to Frampton’s two meetings with the Spaniard, with fans finally getting some answers of Quigg’s pedigree.
And with Frampton also making his U.S. debut under the management of Al Haymon on Saturday evening, there will surely be more calls for the foes to clash to settle who’s the best Brit in the Super Bantamweight division.
Fight negotiations between the two broke down earlier on in the year after Frampton’s camp rejected a £1.5 million payment from Quigg’s promoter, Eddie Hearn.
Former two-time world title challenger Martin Murray continues his rejuvenation after moving up to the Super-Middleweight division going toe-to-toe with Mirzet Bajrektarvic.
The St Helens fighter drew to Felix Sturm and narrowly lost out to Sergio Martinez back in 2011 and 2013 respectively, but now joins fellow countrymen George Groves and James DeGale in the glittering division after a valiant 11th round TKO defeat to Gennady Golovkin.
A potential war between Sam Eggington (15-2, 9 KOs) and Glenn Foot (15-0, 6 KOs) for the vacant British Welterweight strap also features, in what could be the fight of the night.
Despite two losses on his record, it is the explosive performances of 21-year-old Eggington, which has caught the attention of fans and pundits alike knocking out his last five opponents in succession, and will head in to the bout as slight favorite against the undefeated Foot.
Both are come forward fighters, and it’s often these under advertised bouts which produce the most compelling viewing.
In another matchup for a British belt, undefeated Light-Welterweight Chris Jenkins (16-0, 8 KOs) takes on the experienced Tyrone Nurse (31-2, 6 KOs).
Other bouts on the undercard include Hosea Burton and Marcus Morrison, Prizefighter lightweight champion Jono Carroll, former Team GB competitor Charlie Edwards, Jeff Saunders, Liam Taylor and Jack Massey.
